Daily Republican., 1887-11-16
THE HhNsBEE-

The song says, IL III becomes We 20 laugh
Al an ould woman who IL closin' her
hundred, an is's very disgustin' to see
senteels Ike ye throw in sdisparidgemIutI
on the fairies
Ye want to hear sbon: the banshee,
Wen, I'm the woman that eau toll vel
all about her, an IN pledge my yeracity
ior what | relate.
There wasn't liner or braver boy in
THIS parish, eighty years sgone, than Dan
OConnor.
lie was "A straight as 4 popular an As
stout rs an oak HIS heart was as liyht
ls leather, but h vii. Was as firm as
steel. He WAS a stranger to fear OF any
Kind, an was, In truth, = wayward
boughsl.
Al the football or the huriin' there
was found no match ;or Dan an at the
daucs OF the patthern he took the sway
~id all the eolleens. for his i.et were
nimble al his face was fair.
But its an ould ssy;n' an thrue wan,
that Che greatest ha!ro will meet his
match some time or other.
ban had plenty OF leisure time on
hand bekatse he had neither wife nor
child to work Tor, an his little home.
stead was a ireehould; but an idle man
tempts the diyil, IA ths saint says.
lie often heard tell of the balshee that
followed his family. aa' wan night, when
he was rather tipsy, he bet q wager wild a
few OF his 0hriD kin companions tha. ne
would take the golden comb from her,
an keep it for the space OF twenty
nights.
Dan was the last Of an ould ancient
family, an 1. WAS mighty sthrauge. be 1t
was well known that the banshee used to
be heard croonin' in his garden for seven
nights in the month Of July every year.
People used to shiy when they'd hear
tha moornful wall, for itheg knew it
In ant Nm spprOactin death; but when
they saw that Dan continued to survive
they did cot know what to make Oi u.
He mas fairy charm,' says wan;
| "He keeps black cst." eays another
Gauss,
1t was about the last week of June that
he made the rash wager, an when the
banshee did ccme he felt rather cowe,i a
his un.ucky bargain, for the bright eye.
OF winsome colleen were making ist,
| i'm preston on his heart.
His evil comrades, too, were beginning
to twit him about his bravery, so that IA,
4
"Faugh on you. Dan u 'Copuor," say
he TO himself, "to he bhowin' the whit,
feather at the last moment, when all "
have to do Is to take the comb from he
hand, an gain the renown OF The worit
for such brave deed. Let me forget ever,
mortal tic, al then vi do it, though tn
baDshee wer iend from hellu
Och, voh wirrasthrue! The poor, ioollsl
omedhaun
| The baushee took up her ould place o,
low green mound that stood in Dan
garden; and the hoy felt the ''iife. .sh!yer'
run through him as he saw her form, an
heard her sad, std Groom, Tor the aigh
was q calm an moOnlit one.
lie could see the comb sbiniu' and gliu
tin in Ter small white fingers as sh
stroked her long gOolden trcsses; bu
still ne did not give up his dhre auiul ct
sign.
Louder and louder walled the banshe
as VCoDnor approached her; an as b
looked into her tie tutiiul though hard
stony IA &c, he saw large tears Win
down her cheeks.
She did not attempt 20 move ava,
neither did she stop eOmbin her hair 8
Dan grasped at the comb; but when Il
| seized it, she at hered u strange, unear,l
| ly shrek, and fied IRON the pace wit
the quiskness oil bird, laivin Dan
possession OF the CONT
O'Conn or gaxed ut his pr ze for lop
time.
Itw of curious workmanship, III
what was stranger, It was OF di1t rel
| colors. like what we do often sec in
thick fake of ice, an 1t gave out q kin
of heat that Dan never felt before.
He brought 1t houie, aud placed
undher dish near his pillow; but a
night long IT. sounded or sobbel rathe
like sca-shell, 40 thas he could N
sleep
Next day, the bright-cyed colleen .h
sed was beginniI' TO touch his hea
came to him, and tOu'd him she WI
D warned in dhrene that he was to die
lingerin' death II he didn't restore Il
comb to the baushee on the iollowi
night, at the same hour an' place.
Nv hat good can it do ye, DaL!' sa.
the girl, coaxin' him like "Whst got
can it do se for to deprive the p1or harm
less crathur. that has cried all our a
Ruination--tha2s oil yell get tor H. a
maybe some colleen bawn would feel )
lossi'
it's time enough for the likes o'ye to ri
advice when it's sxed OF yet"
"Oh very well, Dan. says she; 'b
you'll regret 1t sore that ye sighted 4
words"
An she went away, cryin' as bit:her
ever the bsnshee crted.
Well, when the night came on, 4
banshee set up her wall as usual, but
was not wall OF snrra or regret at q
but downright cry of Vengeance II
what the bowld childhre set up wh
they're well whipped
Dan heard 1t, but his hard heart
not melt iu the laist.
He sta 4 up in his own room in or
her not to see her: but, faith, IL sam
she knew what he was up to, for s
= ! glided from the greea mound in the {
raction of the house.
Nearer and nearer came the soun
until the fairy woman raichei the ba'
} wall OF his loom.
Ye may be sure hs felt little terr
now, for her voice was not a human va
but sounded on his ears, an brain, a
l narvcs, Ike the roar of a hupdhre sam
| whistles, OILY kind o sweether, b
what a man hears when he's dhioWDii
Still he did not reiint as he aughter.
When day broke, the banshee NOV
!, away, an tho Dan felt Quare In hims'
afther listnin' to she noise the livelo
night, he continued firm in his resoluti
, 70 hould his prize.
The day wore on. and eyenin' car
agin. ..
The reckless boy expected that t
banshee would visit the same place VII
, the night shadows would fall from I
sky, an he'd his harnm-scarum frin
: invited to his house to dhrink an cl
1 "a y k,rxt af - ysk